Ambulance operating-table.



A. D. CROSSLEY. AMBULANCE OPERATING TABLE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 23. I916.

Patented May 8, 191?.

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A. D. CROSSLEY.

AMBULANCE OPERATING TABLE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 23, I916.

Patented May 8, 1917.

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a? eras rara' olr ALBERT D. CROSSLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NICHOLS F. WILSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMBULANCE OPERATING-TABLE.

Application filed May 23, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT D. CRossLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ambulance operating-Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to field-hospital ambulances, and more especially to those which are motor driven.

The object of this invention is to equip an automobile field-hospital ambulance with means which are light in weight and occupy but little space, and when not in use are moved beneath the vehicle body out of the way, but which can be instantly Withdrawn from beneath the vehicle body and set at the desired level, notwithstanding the inclination or unevenness of the ground, and utilized as an operating table, thus providing convenient means for receiving an injured person in such manner that first-aid surgical treatment may be given under the best conditions at the locality of the accident if such appears necessary or desirable.

In attaining this object a track is attached to the underside of the vehicle frame below the ambulance floor and provided with anti-friction means upon which may be slid back and forth a frame provided with adjustable supporting feet at the rear end and carrying a table frame which may be tilted sidewise at any desired angle with relation to the carrying frame, or may be arranged at any desired inclination lengthwise by adjusting the feet at the outer end of the carrying frame, or may be arranged level on a side hill or uneven ground by adjusting the feet of the carrying frame as is necessary.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a side elevation of a part of the vehicle frame and the depending track frame with the carrying frame and operating table withdrawn to the rear and set as when it is desired to use the table in a level position. Fig. 2 shows on a larger scale a plan' of the carrying frame and table frame with the table top omitted. Fig. 8 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with portions broken away to better show the construction. Fig. 4 is a view looking at the rear end of the carrying frame and table frame. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken across Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1915?.

Serial No. 99,423.

the ambulance body and its frame beneath the floor and the track frame secured thereto, with the carrying frame and the table frame slid therein, in order to indicate the manner in which the parts telescope beneath the vehicle body when not in use. Fig. 6 shows on still larger scale a transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 66 on Fig. 3. Fig. 7 shows on still larger scale a section of the rear ends of the carrying and table frames on the plane indicated by the line 77 on Fig. 2. Fig. 8 shows an enlarged section of one side on the plane indicated by the line 88 on Fig. 1, with the carrying frame and table frame slid into the track frame.

The ambulance body is not illustrated as its construction forms no part of the present invention. The ambulance frame formed of light channel iron 1 is that upon which the vehicle body 2 is built. Channel irons 3 are supportedby depending brackets 4 beneath the body frame so as to extend longitudinally beneath the vehicle. These channel irons are arranged so as to form tracks, and at intervals brackets 5 provided with rolls 6 are attached to the track channels in such manner that the peripheries of the rolls will turn in the channels. The table carrying frame is formed of light channel irons 7. This frame is of such width and the irons are of such height that they will fit in the track and run smoothly and quietly between the rolls carried by the track irons. At the rear end of the carrying frame are hinged legs 8 which are provided with adjustable feet 9. It is preferred to join these legs bya connecting rod 10 and to provide them with ratchet teeth 11 that are designed to be engaged by pawls 12 carried by the feet, so that when the legs are swung down the feet by gravity will drop to the groundthe pawls sliding along the ratchet teeth until the feet rest on the ground and then engaging with the ratchet teeth so as to support the outer end of the table carrying frame. The carrying frame at the sides is provided with latches 13 designed to engage and hold the feet when they are swung up. These latches are desirably fastened to a rod 14 provided with an arm 15 to which is connected a rod 16 that when pushed inward will rock the latches forward and release the feet and allow the legs to swing down.

The table frame is formed of light channel iron 17 and is of a size that will permit it to tilt sidewise within the table carrying frame. At the ends of the table frame are downwardly extending hubs 18- which are mounted on a shaft 19 that extends longitudinally of the frames and is supported in bearings at the ends of the carrying frame. At the rear end the shaft has ratchet wheels 20 and a crank handle 21. Arranged to engage with the ratchet wheels are pawls 22 that are pivoted on the end of the carrying frame. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the shaft has drums 23 wound on which are cables 24 which pass under pulleys 25 and have their ends secured by clamps 26 to the sides of the table frame. Fastened to the top of the table frame is the table 27.

When the ambulance is running, or the table is not to be used, the legs are folded up until the feet engage and are supported by the latches, and the carrying frame with the table is pushed in, running on rollers, along the track frame beneath the body of the vehicle, where it occupies but little space and is out of the way. When it is desired to use the table the carrying frame is drawn out full length and the rod at the rear end pushed in. This causes the latches to release the feet and allow the legs to swing down. As the legs swing down the feet drop by gravity until they rest on the ground. If the ground is sloping or un-,

even of course one foot will drop lower than the other. As the feet drop the pawls slide over the ratchet teeth on the legs until the feet rest on the ground and then when the weight of the table is allowed to rest on the legs the pawls engage the ratchets and support it. The feet may be lifted as much as desired when the pawls are disengaged from the ratchet teeth on the legs. By this means the outer end of the carrying frame may be set at any height so that the table will be horizontal or inclined as best suits the purpose. By turning the crank, when the pawls are thrown out of the ratchet wheels on the end of the shaft, through drums and cables the table may be oscillated so that its top will be horizontal, or it may be tilted sidewise to any desired inclination. This may be done either before or after a patient is placed upon the table. This structure provides a convenient and ready means for laying out a patient so that he may be conveniently operated upon or treated on a field before being placed in the ambulance and taken to a hospital.

The invention claimed is;

1. The combination with an ambulance, of a table, means whereby the table may be pushed in under or drawn out from beneath the ambulance, means at the rear end for supporting the table level or at a desired inclination longitudinally when drawn out, and means for tilting and holding the table level or at a desired angle transversely when drawn out.

2. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame supported beneath the ambulance frame, a carrying frame adapted to be moved in along the track frame beneath the ambulance frame or drawn out from beneath the ambulance frame, adjustable means hinged to the rear end of the carrying frame for supporting that end of the frame when drawn out, and a table mounted on and adjustable at an angle with relation to the carrying frame.

3. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame supported beneath the ambulance frame, a carrying frame adapted to be moved in along the track frame beneath the ambulance frame or drawn out from beneath the ambulance frame, means for supporting the rear end of the carrying frame when drawn out, and a table pivotally mounted on and adjustable at an angle with relation to, the carrying frame.

4. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame supported beneath the ambulance frame, a carrying frame adapted to be moved in along the track frame beneath the ambulance frame or drawn out from beneath the ambulance frame, means for supporting the rear end of the carrying frame when drawn out, a table pivotally mounted on the carrying frame, and means for tilting the table on its axis.

5. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame, a carrying frame movable in and out along the track frame beneath the ambulance frame, legs hinged to the rear end of the carrying frame, feet adjustably connected with the legs, and a table mounted on the carrying frame.

6. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame supported beneath the ambulance frame, a carrying frame movable in and out along the track frame beneath the ambulance frame, legs hinged to the rear end of the carrying frame, a table frame, a shaft mounted in the carrying frame and supporting the table frame, drums on the shaft, cables passing around the drums and connected with the table frame, and means for rotating the shaft and drums.

7. The combination with an ambulance frame, of a track frame supported beneath the ambulance frame, anti-friction rollers carried by the track frame, a carrying frame fitting and movable between said rollers in and out of the track frame, a table mounted on the carrying frame, and supporting legs at the rear end of the carrying frame.

8. The combination with an ambulance, of a track supported beneath the ambulance,

a frame movable in and out along the track, means for su )porting the outer end of said frame, a tilting table mounted on said frame and means connecting the table and frame so the table may be tilted to the desired angle with relation to the frame.

9. The combination With an ambulance, of a track supported beneath the ambulance, a frame movable along the track in under and out from under the ambulance, a table 10 be set at any desired angle With relation to 15 the frame.

ALBERT D. CROSSLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

- Washington, D. C. 

